Code of Ethical responsibilities Towards Patients and Statement of Expectations of Patients.

Preamble:

The Atlantic Star Center of Medical Excellence (ASCME) strives to provide the highest quality patient care for a primary community medical center. The ASCME is committed to providing humane care and attention in a unique and individual way.

In addition to this code, all members of professional orders and associations are also governed by their respective professional codes of ethics. This code is meant to establish a framework for collaborative relationships between our patients, their families and our staff.

This document is not intended to be a summary of all patients’ legal rights; moreover there may be exceptions to the rights listed below.

Respect For Each Other

It is the right of every person in the medical center – including patients, families, visitors, staff and volunteers – to be respected as persons, and to be dealt with in a polite and helpful manner. Every person within the medical center has an obligation to contribute to the creation of a comfortable environment for the center's community. This includes abiding, for example, by center's policies with respect to noise, smoking, and confidentiality.

Responsibilities Towards Patients

Every right of a patient serves as the basis for a corresponding responsibility incumbent those working within the ASCME. All working within the ASCME, including those not directly employed, are required and expected to respect patient’s rights, and staff are responsible for assistance to the patient in their exercising of those rights. The ASCME outlines and affirms these rights and duties with the expectation that their observance will contribute to more effective patient care, to enhanced provider-patient relations, and to greater satisfaction for the patients, their families, health care teams and the ASCME.

Rights Of Patients

Quality Care Every

patient has the right to receive care that conforms to the highest established international clinical standards. This care will be provided in a humane and competent fashion that is individualized to the patient’s needs. The patient is entitled to request such consultations, including a second opinion, as are required for the exercise of the right to competent, informed, and complete care.

The right to competent care may only be exercised in a way that respects the conscience of the professional. A professional retains the freedom to accept or refuse to treat a person, except in emergency circumstances. The right to care will be respected within the limits set by available ASCME resources.

Non-Discrimination

Every patient has the right to be treated fairly and justly. Discrimination based upon factors such as the patient’s race, religion, race, political affiliation, social status, gender, sexual orientation, age, or health status is unacceptable.

Respect for Person and Culture

Every patient has the right to be treated in a respectful and dignified manner, with sensitivity to his/her social and cultural needs. Medical and nursing care should be carried out with consideration for privacy and the personal modesty of patients, and should at all times acknowledge the patient as a person as well as a recipient of care. All patients have the right to have their religious needs reasonably accommodated. In recognition of the patient’s membership in a family and community, the ASCME shall, with the patient’s consent, attempt to facilitate their involvement in the patient’s care.

Information and Consent to Care

No person may be made to undergo care of any nature except with his/her consent. Such consent shall be given or refused by the patient, or, as the case may be, his/her authorized representative or the court. In emergency circumstances where the patient is incapable of providing consent, where the authorized representative is not available and the patient’s wishes are not known, necessary treatment will be provided.

Every patient is entitled to receive and understand information about his/her state of health, and to be acquainted with the various options, as well as the risks, benefits and consequences generally associated with each option. Before consenting to any treatment, every patient has the right to have his/her questions answered.

The patient is entitled to know the name and function of the persons responsible for his/her health care, and the name and function of any person providing health care services to the patient. Every patient has the right of access to his/her health records. All of the above rights will be respected subject to certain legal requirements and exceptions.

A patient’s right to information may be constrained in those limited instances where providing the information will be seriously prejudicial to his/her health. Other circumstances required or authorized by law may modify the application of these rights.

Every patient has the right to designate a representative to act on his/her behalf. The legally authorized representative is entitled to have the same access to information as that to which the patient is entitled and to be involved in decisions about care.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Every patient has the right to have his/her privacy respected and to have his/her health information and records maintained in a confidential manner. Patients and visitors are also encouraged to respect the personal privacy and confidentiality of others.

Advocacy

Every patient and their family have the right to access designated ASCME resources to assist them in negotiating complex situations. Any member of the health care team can offer guidance to patients and their families. Every patient has the right to express dissatisfaction with any aspect of the care provided with assurance that his/her concerns will be addressed respectfully.

ASCME Expectations of Patients and Families

The ASCME assumes that patients share with it an active interest in optional patient care and outcome. To that end, ideally, patients and/or those who speak on their behalf form a therapeutic alliance with those caring for them. Open communication and mutual trust is one essential element of that alliance. The ASCME staff encourages patients to participate in a dialogue about their present and future care, and to ask any questions that they feel are necessary.